Methods, systems, and computer readable media for testing a network node or a related application programming interface using source code metadata

1. A method for testing using source code metadata, the method comprising: at a network equipment test device: receiving source code metadata derived from one or more source code files for programming a packet forwarding plane of a network node; analyzing the source code metadata to generate test metadata, wherein analyzing the source code metadata to determine the test metadata includes identifying source code metadata portions that indicate elements to test and determining the test metadata based on the elements; generating, using the test metadata, one or more test plans for testing the network node or an application programming interface (API) associated with the network node; and testing the network node or the API using the one or more test plans.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the source code metadata includes P4 programming language information (P4info) data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the network node includes a router, a switch, a network interface card, a programmable network device, or a virtualized network function (VNF).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the source code metadata is received via a P4Runtime API.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the source code metadata include API related structure information, table information, counters information, meter information, action profile information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the source code metadata portions include a Table portion, a Counter portion, a DirectCounter portion, a Meter portion, a DirectMeter portion, a ControllerPacketMetadata portion, a ValueSet portion, a Register portion, a Digest portion, an Extern portion, a preamble portion, an annotations portion, a match fields portion, or an action references portion.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the elements to test include a table size, a protocol or API structure, a data entry size, a validation or accept rule, an invalidation or reject rule, or a user defined element.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the test metadata based on the elements includes using historical information, predetermined logic, or at least one heuristic.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the one or more test plans test the network node or the API for conformance with a predefined standard or for performance or speed.

10. A system for testing using source code metadata, the system comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory; and a network equipment test device implemented using the at least one processor and the at least one memory, wherein the network equipment test device is configured for: receiving source code metadata derived from one or more source code files for programming a packet forwarding plane of a network node; analyzing the source code metadata to generate test metadata, wherein analyzing the source code metadata to determine the test metadata includes identifying source code metadata portions that indicate elements to test and determining the test metadata based on the elements; generating, using the test metadata, one or more test plans for testing the network node or an application programming interface (API) associated with the network node; and testing the network node or the API using the one or more test plans.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the source code metadata includes P4 programming language information (P4info) data.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the network node includes a router, a switch, a network interface card, a programmable network device, or a virtualized network function (VNF).

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the source code metadata is received from the network via a P4Runtime API.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the source code metadata include API related structure information, table information, counters information, meter information, action profile information.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the source code metadata portions include a Table portion, a Counter portion, a DirectCounter portion, a Meter portion, a DirectMeter portion, a ControllerPacketMetadata portion, a ValueSet portion, a Register portion, a Digest portion, an Extern portion, a preamble portion, an annotations portion, a match fields portion, or an action references portion.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the elements to test include a table size, a protocol or API structure, a data entry size, a validation or accept rule, an invalidation or reject rule, or a user defined element.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein determining the test metadata based on the elements includes using historical information, predetermined logic, or at least one heuristic.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein one of the one or more test plans test the network node or the API for conformance with a predefined standard or for performance or speed.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions embodied in the computer readable medium that when executed by at least one processor of a computer perform steps comprising: receiving source code metadata derived from one or more source code files for programming a packet forwarding plane of a network node; analyzing the source code metadata to generate test metadata, wherein analyzing the source code metadata to determine the test metadata includes identifying source code metadata portions that indicate elements to test and determining the test metadata based on the elements; generating, using the test metadata, one or more test plans for testing the network node or an application programming interface (API) associated with the network node; and testing the network node or the API using the one or more test plans.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the source code metadata includes P4 programming language information (P4info).